Increasing the impact of infection control

Abstract

During the past 5 years an infection prevention and control network has evolved at Nambour General Hospital (NGH), and has emerged as one of the three major components of the hospital's infection prevention and control program. The Infection Monitoring Prevention and Control Team (IMPACT) was implemented in September 1992. Since then, there have been a number of phases in the program's development, including education, marketing and monitoring. Activities have extended beyond the original Infection Control Liaison Nurse concept to embrace a range of quality activities aimed at self-evaluation of the program as well as influencing standards of patient care. Early 1997 saw the first steps taken to extend the IMPACT concept beyond the nursing division. Operational staff at NGH have responded enthusiastically to the call for their involvement and it is planned to continue expansion of the program to other divisions. There have been successes and failures, and many lessons have been learned by all involved, but the overall direction has been strongly forward. This paper will consider the IMPACT program – past, present and future – and is dedicated to the members of the team who form the infrastructure that is the NGH infection prevention and control program.